Fresh Apple: TheAppleBlog (6 сообщений)

TheAppleBlog
News, reviews, walkthroughs, and real-life application of Apple products
http://theappleblog.com
рекомендовать друзьям >>

Apple Conference Call: "Future Product Transition"
In a question related to revenue for next quarter, the response included four factors: a stronger U.S. dollar, a Mac portable transition, the educational buying season, and a “future product transition.”

The “future product” could be the new iPhone, which is expected to launch in June. As for the portables, while the MacBook Pros were just updated, the MacBook awaits a refresh, as does the MacBook Air, assuming it’s not discontinued.

Besides that enigmatic statement, there were more than a few interesting questions and answers for this call.

The iPad was a popular topic. While units sold wasn’t updated at the call, next quarter iPads will be reported as a “line item on our data summary,” meaning units sold and revenue. That’s a clear indicator of success. More concretely, the iPad 3G will ship on April 30 in the U.S., and come to nine additional countries in May. There are more than 5,000 accessories compatible with the iPad, and more than 3,500 specific apps for the iPad. Price came up more than once, which Apple considers to be “aggressive” on the iPad. Nonetheless, regarding price cuts, the reply was “nothing to announce today.”

It was just so awkward hearing someone praise AT&T.

The iPhone, which sold a record 8.572 million units, saw a 41 percent jump year-over-year, three times better than the overall smartphone market. The iPhone is seeing crazy growth in Asia Pacific, Japan, and Europe, up 484, 183, and 133 percent respectively. The iPhone in China is seeing a sales increase of nine times and revenue doubling, but that has more to do with the lackluster launch than real success so far.

In an awkwardly answered question about iPhone exclusivity, it was admitted that multiple carriers increases units sales and market share where it’s done, but that “the formula doesn’t work in every single case.” Also, AT&T has made some “big strides” in network improvement. Good grief, why not just admit AT&T pays more per phone than Verizon ever will and be done with it. It was just so awkward hearing someone praise AT&T.

Speaking of awkward, in response to a question about whatever happened to the Apple TV, it was stated sales are up 34 percent YOY, but that’s still a “small” number that we will likely never learn. There was a little rationalizing about how the Mac and the iPhone compete in much larger markets, hundreds of millions of units sold per year, so that’s why the Apple TV remains a “hobby” for Apple. Note to Apple: 200 million televisions were sold last year.

Additional random bits:
- Not much was said about the Mac, except that you can forget about a MacBook mini because Apple executives can’t think of “a single thing” a netbook does well.
- As for the iPod, as noted, while sales were flat, revenue was up. That’s because the iPod touch saw 63 percent sales growth.
- Apple still owns about 70 percent of the media player market.
- Half of people buying Macs in Apple Stores continue to be new to the platform.
- There are now 286 Apple Stores, which saw 47 million visitors last quarter.
- Apple expects to open 25 Apple Stores in China, up from two, by the end of 2011.
- Apple has $41.7 billion in cash on hand, enough to purchase Adobe twice over and put an end to Flash without the passive-aggressive behavior.
- Apple considers the advertising initiative iAd a “toe in the water,” or possibly in Google’s eye, depending on how you look at it.
- As always, the company is excited about the “product pipeline.”
Overall, a great quarter and a pretty good conference call. I’m looking forward to “future product transitions” for all.

Переслать
Apple Q2 2010: Another Quarter, Another Record
Only Apple could make success seem banal, reporting the best ever earnings for a second fiscal quarter today.

Apple reported revenue of $13.50 billion and a net quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, or $3.33 EPS, once again beating the Wall Street consensus, and comparing quite favorably to $9.08 billion and a net quarterly profit of $1.62 billion, or $1.79 EPS, a year ago. It was indeed another boringly great quarter, but if Steve Jobs is yawning with success, he didn’t show it in the press release.

"We're thrilled to report our best non-holiday quarter ever, with revenues up 49 percent and profits up 90 percent," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We've launched our revolutionary new iPad and users are loving it, and we have several more extraordinary products in the pipeline for this year."

For those with less interest in profit and more in the magical product pipeline, Macs were solid, iPods flat, and iPhone sales bucked the cyclical decline.

Apple sold 2.943 million Macs, up 33 percent from 2.216 for the same quarter last year. While laptop sales were up 28 percent from a year ago, desktop sales jumped 40 percent. That doesn’t alter the 60/40 split between laptops and desktops, but it was still a good quarter for the iMac.

It was a good quarter for iPod sales, too, despite them being flat, at 10.89 million sold versus 11.01 million last year. While that’s technically a one percent decline in units sales, revenue was up 12 percent, likely fueled by the increasing success of the iPod touch. That’s very good news.

Also very good were iPhone sales, which tend to be cyclical, peaking with model launches and declining until the next launch. For last quarter, Apple sold 8.752 million Phones, compared to 3.793 during the same period last year, a 131 percent increase. However, Apple actually increased the number of iPhones sold from the first quarter of 2010, which saw 8.737 million sold. That’s big news as we approach the next iPhone launch, expected this summer.

While nothing was mentioned about the iPad, expect that to come up in the conference call, which will duly be reported on TheAppleBlog.

Переслать
iPhone Dev Sessions: Making a Splash Screen
All too often an iPhone application's launch sequence is an overlooked detail. The most common approach is to misuse the provided Default.png file as a splash screen. As it turns out, this detailing of an application is more than a little challenging if you want to get it right and stay within Apple's guidelines.

The key to a smooth and professional looking launch sequence starts with knowing exactly where the application will land at startup. Some applications start at exactly the same place each and every successive launch, others attempt to preserve the application’s state and launch into the screen where the user last used the application. Keeping this in mind can change the strategy of how the launch sequence is implemented. This includes screen orientation as well as how and even if the status bar it to be displayed.

One may witness flickering of the status bar from blue, to black or from black to blue during the launch sequence. This is mainly due to the fact that there are two places to change the behavior of the status bar. One is hidden in the info.plist file, and the other is typically via code in the Application Delegate's applicationDidFinishLaunching method. The info.plist configuration is used before the main window is loaded, and the code in the Application Delegate is used during the launching of the main window. The reason one may want to utilize both styles is to take advantage of a full screen splash page, and then enable the appropriate looking status bar once the application has finished loading.

For the purpose of this example application, we will assume that the user state is preserved between executions, and we do not know exactly what the screen will look like when the user enters the application. We will therefore be implementing a full-screen splash view that will have the status bar hidden during the launch sequence. Once the splash view has disappeared, a black opaque status bar will be utilized throughout the application. It is also assumed that the application will launch in portrait mode, and that the first screen the user will see will also be in portrait mode.

Editing the Configuration File

The first order of business is to take care of the status bar. In Xcode, locate the info.plist file for the project. To add an additional property to the plist file, simply select one of the entries and click on the plus tab that appears to the right and select Status Bar Style from the drop down list:

Edit Projects plist File

There are only three different styles to choose from. Try each style out to see which one fits the needs of the application being developed. For this example we will set the style to UIStatusBarStyleDefault.

UIStatusBarStyles: UIStatusBarStyleDefault — Gray (the default) UIStatusBarStyleBlackTranslucent — Transparent black (specifically, black with an alpha of 0.5) UIStatusBarStyleBlackOpaque — Opaque black

If on the other hand the desire is to hide the status bar when the application launches, then yet another property needs to be set. In this case, add the “Status Bar is initially hidden” property to the plist file and be sure to check the box next to the property.

Editing the Application Delegate code

So now that the status bar style is set, and initially hidden, how does one get the status bar to display again? You can actually turn the status bar on and off programmatically via code. This is particularly handy when the need arises to display a full screen view, such as the splash screen this application is utilizing. In the applicationDidFinishLaunching method of the Application's designated AppDelegate class, add the following line of code to make the status bar visible again:
```
 - (void)applicationDidFinishLaunching:(UIApplication *)application {     // Override point for customization after app launch     [window addSubview:viewController.view];     [window makeKeyAndVisible];     [[UIApplication sharedApplication] setStatusBarHidden:NO animated:YES]; } 
```
Adding a Default.png Image

Surprisingly, the size of this file is not as important as the naming convention of the file. Default.png is a case sensitive PNG file. The image should be 480×320 according to Apple. Following Apple's conventions, this image should look like the view that the user will see when the application has launched, and not the actual splash screen.

Xcode provides a mechanism to create a Default.png file from an attached device running the application. From the Organizer window, select the device, click on screenshots and click capture. To make that screenshot your application's default image, click Save As Default Image. Even though the image that is created includes the status bar as it looked when the screen shot was captured, the iPhone OS replaces it with the current status bar when your application launches. Just to be clear, this is not a splash screen…not yet.

Long Launch Sequences to Varying Views

So far, this is what most applications will implement if they implement any sort of controlled visual experience when the application launches. If you follow Apple's guidelines, and the image you produce is the first screen that the user will see, all is good. Except, what if the launch sequence is not as fast as the user expects? What if the application preserves state and lands on a different view based on the users last know state? Then this technique is not up to the task.

Photoshop a branded image representing the application and save it as a PNG image sized at 480×320. Do not include a status bar of any kind in the image file being created. Add this image file to the project. Now the application sort of has a splash screen, through a misused implementation of the Default.png file. To correct this, simply add an image view as a property to the App Delegates header and create it as follows:
```
     splashView = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, 320, 480)];     splashView.image = [UIImage imageNamed:@"Default.png"];     [window addSubview:splashView];     [window bringSubviewToFront:splashView]; 
```
At this point, the image view is utilizing the exact same image file that was created in Photoshop. There’s no chance of the initial view being different than the Default.png file at this point. The one remaining problem is the timing of when to remove the image view from the subview. This can be handled in one of two ways…

Controlling the Duration of the Splash Screen

The first option is for those with quick startup times that just want a splash screen. In this situation, create a method to remove and release the splash view, then calling that method via a timed perform selector call as follows:
```
     [self performSelector:@selector(removeSplash) withObject:nil afterDelay:1.5]; 
```
The removeSplash method does just that, removes the image view from the subview and releases the object.
```
     -(void)removeSplash;     {       [splashView removeFromSuperview];       [splashView release];     } 
```
The second method uses the same remove splash method, but relies on the built in event management to trigger when the method gets called.
```
     [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self           selector:@selector(saveClaim:)           name:@"RemoveSplashScreen"           object:nil]; 
```
Now all that needs to be done is to post the notification from anywhere. This technique is particularly useful if the reason that the launch sequence is taking a long time has nothing to do with code that was implemented in the App Delegate.
```
     [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter]           postNotificationName: @"RemoveSplashScreen"           object: nil]; 
```
This technique can be employed from anywhere within the application. Removing the observer after the fact may avoid crashes if there is an opportunity for this notification to be fired multiple times. Releasing an object when no object it there to be released can lead to troublesome crashes to track down. The quick and dirty is to use the delay on the performSelector call.

Conclusion

And there it is, a splash screen that conforms to Apple's guidelines. No hidden APIs, no hacks, no special sauce. A simple, straight forward approach to making the initial interaction with the user as pleasant as possible.

References:
Переслать
The iPhone 4 Is Real: Anyone Buying the "Drunk Engineer" Story?
By now, many of you will probably already know that Gizmodo actually got their hands on that iPhone prototype they’ve been reporting so heavily on, by paying $5,000 to someone who found the phone at a bar near Apple headquarters.

You may also know that Apple has asked for its return, which Gizmodo (and many others, myself included) are taking as evidence confirming that it is indeed the next iPhone. The story of how it was lost reads like something out of a movie in the Gizmodo account, even though many of us drunkenly lose our phones everyday and it obviously isn’t that dramatic of an experience.

Then again, we aren’t losing the prototype of a highly coveted device built by an incredibly secretive company. Which brings me to my next point. Is anyone buying that this guy (Gary Powell, an iPhone engineer working on the Baseband technology) actually just got drunk and forgot the thing on his bar stool?

I’m not an engineer working for Apple, and my phone is just a widely available 3GS and not the yet-to-be-released iPhone 4 or whatever it’ll be called, but that phone is also the last thing I’m likely to misplace. I’d sooner lose my wallet or my keys, in fact. But if it’s a plant, why go to such lengths to engineer a simple leak?

I think it may be as simple as the ante-upping nature of Apple’s hype machine. After the year or more lead up to the iPad’s unveiling, including photographic and video leaks, first-hand accounts from all kinds of sources, and the will-they or won’t-they ballet that went on for months and months, building a good head of buzz up around the next iPhone in the time remaining would be rather challenging using Apple’s conventional tactics. Many eyes are stuck firmly on the iPad and what’s next for it, and won’t be distracted by the usual grainy photographs.
More on iPhone
A hands-on exclusive that conveniently makes its way to one of the most prominent and widely-read tech blogs operating on the web today is definitely one way to wrest the spotlight away from the iPad and back onto the iPhone, where Apple needs consumer attention to be come June. It may seem elaborate, but when you consider the cost of such a plan versus a widespread marketing campaign, and that Apple’s secretive-chocolate-factory reputation remains intact, it starts to seem very reasonable indeed.

Whatever the case, it looks like we know what the next iPhone will have in store. Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights in case you missed them:
- Front-facing camera (almost certainly for video chat)
- Separate volume buttons
- Micro-SIM (like the iPad)
- Better back camera and camera flash
- Aluminum border with metallic buttons
- Optical glass or ceramic back for improved signal reception
- Slightly smaller, higher resolution screen
- Secondary mic for noise cancellation
- 16 percent larger battery
Gizmodo tore the phone down, too, and found out that the internals are all Apple production parts, which makes it incredibly unlikely that this isn’t the real thing. It remains to be seen whether or not the final production units that ship this summer will look exactly like this, but I think it’s safe to say we’ll see something pretty darn close.

The best part of the new design in my opinion? Not the industrial styling that brings it more in line with the current iMac and MacBook offerings, though that’s pretty awesome. No, it’s all the phone-oriented improvements Apple seems to be making. I’d never trade my iPhone in for anything, but I have to say that it hasn’t been the greatest cell phone I’ve ever had, in terms of strict telecommunications functions.

The new back for improved signal transmission, the second, noise-canceling mic, the larger battery and the front facing camera all point to this being the best iPhone yet for actual real-time communication, which is definitely something worth getting excited about.

Переслать
iPad 3G Will Be Available April 30 After All…Sort of
Good news for those of you who’d already pre-ordered the fancy dual radio Wi-Fi + 3G model iPads prior to this week: you’ll have the device in your hot little hands on April 30 as promised. Apple announced today that all existing preorder customers will still get their iPads on that originally announced date, contrary to previous reports.

The May 7 date reported earlier does apply, but only to all preorders made beginning this week. You might fare better just showing up at the store on April 30 and taking your chances (though no doubt many of those units will have been reserved beforehand) since Apple also assured buyers that the dual radio iPad would be in retail stores starting at 5 PM on that day. No mention is made of whether or not retail partners like Best Buy will also have stock.

Personally, I’ve been waiting for the 3G version, because I have both an iPod touch and an iPhone, and in my opinion, the lack of cellular network connectivity on the touch places it in an entirely different category of usability. And I don’t mean that as a complement. The iPod touch feels almost like an at-home only device, despite the fact that many places nowadays offer Wi-Fi. In terms of my mobile usage, if I can’t use it in transit, I likely won’t use it at all.
More on iPad
Of course, I’ll have to wait till May 10 to even preorder my device, thanks to the delays to the international ship dates of the iPad. Apple is clearly doing everything it can to keep the launch on track in the U.S., but the week-long delay for any new orders being made shows that its supply chain is being severely tested thanks to strong demand.

Service for the 3G-enabled iPad isn’t locked to a specific carrier, but so far its internal radio will only work with AT&T’s 3G network. That carrier is offering plans starting at $15 per month for 250MB, or $30 for unlimited usage. Obviously, it’s assumed that these services and the microSIM cards the iPad requires to use them will be available on day one.

I know a few people who are already planning on (or already trying to) sell their Wi-Fi only iPads in order to help fund their purchase of a 3G-capable model. By contrast, I also know a few who are completely satisfied and think the 3G radio is an unnecessary and expensive upgrade. Which camp do you fall into, existing iPad owners?

Переслать
iPhone OS: Where the Delete Key Belongs
After almost three years of obsessive iPhone typing, we have grown accustomed to its keyboard. When the iPad was released, things changed.

After a week of testing the iPad it became clear that the iPad has the Delete key in the correct place and the iPhone doesn’t. In fact, the iPad’s placement feels so natural that now when I try to type text messages on the iPhone, I constantly accidentally send texts early while attempting to delete a character. The iPhone is the only device in my routine that has a confusing Delete key location. Check out the screenshots below to see what I mean.

What do you think? Has your experience been similar?

iPad

Wireless keyboard

iPhone

Переслать